


A Song for Sunset and Moonrise

by Anonymous



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:07:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29876073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Prince Kei of the Crescent Isles is set to be engaged to the daughter of the infamous ruler of the Sunward Lands. The Red King has earned his nickname for his brutal methods in unifying his kingdom, but upon the King’s passing, his current court wishes to shed this reputation. Can such a history be erased, or will the son be responsible for the sins of his father?
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Tsukishima Kei, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Yachi Hitoka/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Kudos: 8
Collections: Tsukihina Gift Exchange 2021





	1. Legacy of the Red King

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nio_23](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nio_23/gifts).



> This prompt was great because it satisfied my itch to write something based off of the song Cantarella. And since that is inspired by the Borgia family, Kei and his family are (very loosely) based on them. This will be part 1 of what I plan to be 4 parts, but may be longer depending on how I feel the pacing should be.

_ “You wished to see me, father?” _

_ The young boy hovers near the entrance to his father’s private study. It’s a room few know about. Even the most trusted of royal advisors know not of its existence. It’s nondescript appearance - a simple wooden leading into a small, bare room - ensures it’s secrecy. _

_ “Come in, Kei,” his father, the king replies. _

_ Prince Kei enters the room, closing the wooden door behind him. His father stands with his back towards him, facing the only thing that could be considered decorative in the room - the “window.” _

_ Calling it a window is a generous description. It’s more of an opening in the wall that allows one a view of the ocean. On stormy days, his father simply moves his heavy bookcase in front of the opening to prevent seaspray from damaging important documents. _

_ Today, the ocean is peaceful. A beautiful sparkling expanse of blue that reflects the bright sun above it.  _

_ “Stop pulling at your fingers, Kei,” his father scolds. _

_ Kei snaps out of his thoughts at his father’s words. He hadn’t even realized he had been doing that. His cheeks flush in embarrassment, knowing that he’s so predictable that his father could tell what he was doing without so much as looking at him. _

_ His father sighs. _

_ “You’re a brilliant boy, Kei. It’s surely a shame that you can’t inherit the throne.” _

_ Kei mulls the words carefully before answering. Surely this is another of his father’s tests. _

_ “While it would be an honor, I would never dream of taking what rightfully belongs to Akiteru.” _

_ It’s an honest answer. He could almost say it came from the heart. But knowing his father, that would never do. _

_ His father turns to face him, a solemn expression on his face. _

_ “What if I told you that you could have a kingdom of your own to rule?” _

_ Kei doesn’t say anything. Can’t say anything. For all his years of carefully crafted answers, he’s finally heard something that he can’t think of an appropriate response to. _

_ His father finally sits in the desk chair and pulls out a small box.  _

_ “This is for you Kei,” he says as he slides the box across the desk to the young prince. He opens it to find a simple ring save for the large moonstone that rests in the center. _

_ “Listen carefully, as I’m only telling you this once…” _

* * *

Prince Kei awakens from his slumber by his carriage roughly jostling as it passes over a dip in the road.

“Ugh, the king’s highways could use some repair,” Kei says, adjusting glasses that have gone askew. 

“Wouldn’t you say, Tadashi?”

His traveling companion’s only response is a weak nod. Tadashi’s face is a sickly green and he looks as though he’s barely holding back his vomit. Kei just prays that he can hold on until they reach their destination; there’s enough stains on the seats as is. 

Not to mention the ungodly smell inside of the carriage. Even with the windows left open, nothing can air out the stench of hot sick drying on leather. It doesn’t help that the breeze that does blow in is as warm as the summer sun. 

Kei sighs; loath he is to admit it, but he’s already longing for cool ocean winds and the feeling of salt water and sand between his toes.

“Your Majesty?”

Kei averts his gaze from the mysterious stains on the cushions to look at his fellow voyager.

“Forgive me if I’m out of line for asking-”

Kei rolls his eyes. Though they’re close friends - Kei’s best and only friend, in fact - Tadashi has taken it upon himself recently to “act with propriety” as he puts it ever since being designated one of Akiteru’s gentlemen of the privy chamber. 

“-but how are you so calm about everything?”

“What do you mean?” Prince Kei asks with a quirk of an eyebrow.

“It’s just…!” Tadashi rakes his hands through his hair, mussing his long hair.

“We’ve all heard the rumors about the Sunward Lands. Not to mention the… unsavory history behind their late king. _I’m_ feeling nervous and I’m not the one with the engagement!”

“How are you so taking it all so well?” Tadashi asks, finally getting to his point.

“I’ve long since accepted that something like this was going to happen,” Kei replies coolly. “After all, I’m the second-born son. What hope do I have for the crown?”

Tadashi opens his mouth to protest before clamping it shut. Kei thinks that’s a good idea. He could get in trouble for speaking against his future king.

“But still,” Tadashi continues. Kei’s jaw clenches, annoyed that the conversation is still happening.

“The daughter of the Red King… doesn’t that sound scary?”

“Oh please,” Kei snorts, “That’s her father’s reputation. She has nothing to do with it.”

Despite his words, Kei pulls on his fingers one by one, fastidiously avoiding the finger where a ring with a large opalescent gem rests.

“But-”

“Lord Yamaguchi,” Kei interrupts, “shut up.”

Tadashi flinches at the use of his title. It’s been a long time since Kei has used any kind of formality towards Tadashi.

“Sorry Tsu- ...Your Majesty,” Tadashi responds dejectedly.

The rest of the carriage ride occurs in silence, save for Tadashi’s occasional retching. Thankfully, he does not ruin the seat cushions any further. 

Finally, ten days of traveling - including two days on ship - and eleven hours in a carriage later sees the duo’s journey come to an end when the driver calls out the name of their destination. 

The hurried footsteps of the footmen coming to open the carriage almost seems to thunder from outside. Kei takes one look at Tadashi’s blanched face before nodding at him to get ready to deboard.

“Come now, what’s with the glum expression?” Kei asks with a tight-lipped smile. “You’re not the one getting married after all.”

Tadashi just nods solemnly as he rises from his seat to exit the carriage.

“Presenting Prince Kei of the Crescent Isl- Uwah!”

Kei certainly wasn’t expecting such a greeting to herald his arrival. He also wasn’t expecting such a short boy with wild orange hair as the footman to open the carriage and declare his entry. 

“Who are you supposed to be?!” the boy shouts.

“Certainly the Red King’s court isn’t one so barbaric to keep rude, uneducated children in their employ?” Kei retorts.

The boy bristles at his words, but a hand clamping down on his head prevents from lashing out.

“Quit it idiot!” a taller boy with raven black hair hisses. He mutters something inaudible into the boy’s ear that gets him to calm down, if reluctantly.

Compared to the redhead’s shabby servant’s attire, this other boy is far more impeccably dressed. A fine silk blouse and well-tailored pants adorn his body. Combined with his regal bearing, it’s easy to guess that this was the Prince of the Sunward Lands.

“Greetings, Your Highness,” Kei says to the taller boy. “I find it rather unfortunate that such an unruly child is our first impression of your court. Surely he isn’t indicative of the rest of your servants?”

Tadashi’s mood seems to be lightening up already, if his snickering is anything to go by.

A fierce grip on the shorter boy’s shoulder is all it takes for the Prince to reign him in.

“Yes, unfortunately, this one here has been with the court for a long time and still has a hard time listening to instructions.”

The Prince says all of this through gritted teeth. It’s clear that trying to physically restrain the boy with just one hand isn’t enough, so the dark haired prince gives him a slap upside the head.

“Is everyone in the Red Court so violent?” Tadashi worriedly whispers to Kei.

“Appears so,” Kei murmurs back as the prince and servant fight amongst themselves.

“Let’s hope the princess isn’t quite so inclined then,” Tadashi says with a wry grin.

“Or that she’ll at least put me out of my misery quickly.”

“Oi!” 

The two visitors look up to see the dark-haired man and his servant already on the steps leading into the palace.

“Are you two coming or not?”

As the duo trudges over to where the host awaits, Kei can’t help but remark - quietly, of course - on the poor manners of said man.

“It definitely is strange,” Tadashi agrees with a hum. “But perhaps it’s to be expected of the son of the Red King.”

“Hurry up already!” shouts the orange-haired boy.

“And of his staff,” Tadashi adds. “Well, into the halls of the Crimson Castle we go.”

* * *

The first thought Kei has upon approaching the Crimson Castle is that it indeed lives up to its name. Everywhere he looks, there’s something adorned in red. From the carpets to the finery worn by the subjects in portraits, the theme appears to be that accursed color.

Perhaps it’s due to the connotations of the color, but it makes the entire place feel… uncomfortably warm. It’s a far cry from the cool white bricks that make up Moonfell. 

“And here we have the portraits of the royal lineage going back five generations…”

The voice of the servant boy pulls Kei out of his musings. 

“Impressive,” Kei replies dryly as Tadashi snickers. He’s never been one to miss the opportunity for a jab. And with the monarchy of the Crescent Isles stretching back at least twenty generations, the Sunward Lands looks like a joke in comparison.

“Oi! Shut up and listen!” the prince snaps at the two. His glowering expression is fearsome enough to remind Kei of whose halls they’re wandering through.

“Apologies, Your Majesty,” Tadashi says. Kei, on the other hand, remains quiet.

While the dark-haired noble stares at Kei expectantly, the feisty servant has already continued on with the tour.

“And here are the tapestries of the Red King’s military conquests… in gory detail,” the boy says grimly.

Sure enough, despite being mere paintings, the carnage of the war scenes are captured with frighteningly accurate brushstrokes. Kei can see palpable fear in the eyes of a soldier about to be struck down by the Red King’s sword himself. A sword dripping in blood from hilt to tip.

While Kei maintains a cool façade, Tadashi lets out an audible gasp.

“Very scary, right? This one is the Battle of the Shadowlands.”

The boy’s voice grows louder and more animated as he narrates the scene.

“It was the big final battle in uniting the Sunward Lands. Before that, it was all just a bunch of different tribes who kept fighting each other. The Red King went to fight each of them and they all lost like ‘f-shing, f-shing, BLEH!’”

The boy, in his imitation of a losing sword fight, should have been laughable with his use of ridiculous sound effects. But Kei can’t help but find the red-head’s enthusiasm for violent storytelling unnerving. Tadashi seems to agree; he’s as pale as he was during their carriage trip.

“Except for one! They were the ones the Red King had to face off at the Battle of the Shadowlands. I think they were called the Dark Horde…?”

“They’re ‘The People of the Mountain’ in their native language,” the dark-haired prince replies.

“Right! So the King goes to battle against them, and it’s a total surprise! Unlike the other tribes, they had archers hidden up in the mountain whose arrows went ‘f-shew, f-shooo!’ It took out a lot of the Red King’s men. But in the end, the people of the mountain didn’t supply their archers with enough arrows and they lost. As a condition of surrender, the king demanded the only son of the tribe leader as a ward.”

“Sounds more like a hostage situation,” Tadashi says with a frown. The red-haired boy sheepishly agrees, but the prince seems to scowl at Tadashi’s remark.

“Anyway, that may have only been a few years ago, but since the Red King’s death, everyone’s been trying to put that past behind them.”

“I’m sure those tribes forcibly united under one banner are delighted to hear that,” Kei comments, staring at the banner in question. Against the red field is a charging boar bearing a fearsome snarl. A befitting symbol for such a bellicose nation.

“And here’s the portrait of the prince himself!” the boy declares dramatically. It appears Kei’s earlier statement was either unheard or ignored completely.

The portrait in question hangs at the end of the hallway, the last picture before an ornate double-door that leads into the throne room. Though the image is immaculately painted, Kei can’t help but feel something is off about the picture. The features on the Prince seem blurry somehow, and strange traces of red seem to seep through the black paint. Kei is ready to take off his glasses to clean them when the doors of the throne room burst open.

A petite woman with short dark hair storms in.

“Shōyō! I told you to let me know when our guests get here!” the woman scolds.

To the surprise of Prince Kei and Tadashi, the woman stomps past the black-haired man to grab the ear of the red-haired servant boy.

“Owowow, Mother!” the boy cries out.

“Why are you dressed like this? Is this another of your pranks?!”

At that moment the woman turns to the portrait hanging on the wall. If Kei thought she was yelling before, then he was sorely mistaken. Her voice reaches a volume he didn’t think was possible for such a small woman.

“What is this? Did you get Kenma in on this?! THE ROYAL ALCHEMIST?!”

Tadashi coughs politely to grab the attention of the angry woman. Just as suddenly as she appeared did the woman’s mood change.

“Oh, my apologies! You must be with the traveling party for Prince Kei. Where is His Majesty?” the woman asks sweetly. She bends down, as if looking for someone behind Prince Kei and Tadashi.

“That is I,” Prince Kei responds, flashing a forced but polite smile. The woman straightens her posture in her shock.

“O-oh, is that so? We were expecting someone… different.”

Kei is about to ask what the woman means when she waves her hand to cut him off.

“Well, nevermind! My apologies for not being present to greet you when you arrived. But it appears my son-

The woman shoots an angry look at the red-haired boy, who withers under her glance.

“-and his friend had decided a prank was more befitting than propriety.”

“I-I beg your pardon… Your Majesty…,” Tadashi stutters out, “B-but, did I hear you correctly? Is he not the Prince?”

Tadashi gestures towards the young man with inky black hair, not unlike the woman’s own. 

“No,” the woman replies, tucking a lock of dark hair behind her ear, “that’s Tobio, a ward taken in by the late king. My son here is the Prince. Well, soon to be King in a few days, per the late king’s last will.”

At that moment, the strange blurred effect of the portrait disappears, as does the image of Tobio. This reveals the true portrait underneath, of a red-haired boy.

Prince Shōyō of the Sunward Lands, reads the plaque underneath the portrait.

* * *

“You know, I’m starting to feel bad for His Majesty…,” Tadashi whispers to Prince Kei as they witness the verbal dressing down the queen-regent gives to Shōyō and Tobio. Shōyō's mother had insisted on moving the entire party out to the garden in preparation of meeting Princess Natsu. 

Kei thinks it’s so that her yelling doesn’t echo around the castle too much.

“I don’t,” Kei deadpans, “Serves them right for humiliating guests like that. We could’ve easily turned around and called the engagement off for that alone.”

“But we don’t have a choice,” Tadashi points out.

“They don’t know that,” Kei whispers back.

Kei takes in the sights of the garden as the queen-regent continues her lecturing. Even out here, red is the predominant color. But while everything else in the garden is foreign foliage, it’s the rhododendron bushes that unnerve Kei the most. The bright red coloration coupled with the familiar sweet scent seems to taunt him. As if to remind him that even if he finds something comforting in this place, there’s always something there to remind him _where he is exactly_.

“Right!” the queen-regent says suddenly as she turns towards Kei and Tadashi. “My deepest apologies for everything that has just occurred… and what’s about to occur.”

The woman takes a deep breath.

“I must tell you… there’s been a… misunderstanding regarding the engagement.”

“What misunderstanding would that be?” Kei inquires. He feels a nerve near his eye twitch. Despite his best efforts to keep an amiable smile on his face, the trials of the day have pushed the limits of his patience too far. He just wants everything over with so he can retreat to the provided quarters and sleep off the long journey.

“Ah, well…”

“Mother!” a girlish voice calls out from behind a bush, “Is he here? Is my prince here?!”

Out from the bush darts a young girl with hair that matches her older brother’s. In fact, she looks identical to her brother save for the fact that her wild hair is kept barely contained by twin pigtails. The girl comes to a halt right in front of the group of young men, looking up at them in awe.

“Ahem, Princess Natsu, meet Prince Kei of the Crescent Isles… your fiancé.”

Kei stares down at the tiny girl with bright orange hair, who stares back at him with equal intensity. They hold each other’s gazes for several long moments before the girl raises a finger to point at him.

“He’s too tall! How am I supposed to marry him if I can’t even kiss him?”

This earns raucous laughter from the group of boys accompanying the first meeting. Kei shoots a murderous look at Tadashi to get his companion to shut up, to no avail.

“You don’t have to marry him yet!” the queen-regent declares. “You two will get married once you’ve grown enough.”

“But he’s going to be really old by then!” Princess Natsu says, puffing out her cheeks.

Another round of laughter later, followed by death glares from both Prince Kei and the queen-regent, the discussions begin in earnest.

“Is this some kind of joke?” Kei asks.

“I can assure you it’s not,” the queen-regent responds. “We were under the impression that you’d be… much younger.”

“What?”

“Prince Shōyō, bring me the letter,” his mother says with an exasperated sigh. 

“I have it right here. Shall I read it out?” he asks, trying and failing to suppress his giggles.

“You may,” the woman concedes.

Prince Shōyō clears his throat as he reads out the letter:

“‘My Dearest Kyouka-’”

“You can skip that part,” she interrupts, a blush rising to her cheeks. “Get to Prince Akiteru’s testimony.”

Prince Shōyō flips the page to a letter written in a different hand than the page before it.

“‘I believe that my dear little brother, Prince Kei, would be a perfect match for your daughter. Prince Kei, despite his outward moodiness, is a sweet boy who loves desserts - strawberry shortcake being his favorite.’”

Shōyō pauses from reading the letter to let out an ugly guffaw of laughter. He ignores the disapproving look from his mother as he continues on.

“‘He’s also quite fond of dragons, which he believes to be endangered rather than extinct, and hopes to find proof of their continued existence some day-’”

It was at this point in the letter reading that Kei thinks that he should vie for the throne of the Crescent Isles after all. It would give him a reason to oust his traitorous, big-mouthed brother.

“‘...I eagerly await your response. Yours truly, Prince Akiteru of the Crescent Isles.’”

Tobio, the ward, is bent in half trying to conceal the fact that he’s laughing soundlessly. Tadashi is also snickering, traitorous bastard that he is. The queen-regent, the only one unamused by the turn of events, pinches the bridge of her nose with her fingers.

“So based upon your brother’s… language choice… we had assumed you were close to Princess Natsu’s age.”

“And how old is Princess Natsu?” Kei chances reluctantly.

“I’m eight years old!” she declares.

“She’s eight years old,” Kei repeats. “You can’t seriously expect me to go through with this engagement now.”

“Well obviously not right now!” the queen-regent declares. “We’ll wait until her sixteenth birthday for the wedding. These kinds of things aren’t uncommon for nobility after all.”

Kei quietly concedes that she has a point. And the unspoken truth between them is that they both need this. 

Whispers of unrest echo throughout the kingdom of the Crescent Isles. Accusations of stagnation and pointless self-isolation has weakened the people’s faith in the monarchy. The obvious solution lies with the Sunward Lands, a prosperous young nation that could use a more established power as an ally. What better way than a political marriage?

“So that’s it then?” Kei asks aloud. “I’m to stay here for eight years, until Princess Natsu is of marrying age.”

“Yes, I do believe your father did specify you would be a ward of our court until the date of your wedding.”

Kei swears he can see a vein near her eye twitch.

“Shōyō, Tobio,” the queen-regent says as she turns to the two boys, “I expect you both to get along with Prince Kei and Lord Tadashi. After all, they’re both around your age.”

“Seriously?” Kei blurts out. Usually it’s not like him to draw attention so blatantly, but with the long journey and constant miscommunications, Kei has lost his patience completely.

“You expect me to believe this child is close to my age, much less that he’s to ascend the throne soon?”

“I can assure you,” the queen-regent begins, her voice growing cold, “my son is no child.”

“Though he may certainly act like it,” she continues, ignoring the prince’s indignant cry, “I can ascertain that he will be sixteen years of age a fortnight from today. It will behoove you to show respect befitting the future king.”

The boy beams smugly at him. Kei decides that he liked him better when he was playing the part of a servant.

“Thank you for your understanding on the matter,” the woman finishes with a tight-lipped smile. 

“Now, you must be tired from your journey! I’ll have someone show you to your quarters shortly. Just don’t rest for too long! Wouldn’t want to miss your welcome feast, now would you?”

They trudge back to the castle, Prince Shōyō and Tobio already arguing about something or other. Despite the earlier warning from the prince’s mother, Kei can’t keep himself from complaining about the turn of events.

“I feel like a political prisoner,” Prince Kei mumbles low enough for only Tadashi to hear.

“Well, in a way, you are,” Tadashi retorts.

“Shut up, Yamaguchi.”

“Sorry Ts- I mean, Your Majesty!”

Eight years. Eight more years. Kei is sure he’ll be able to last that long, but in any case, he does have a Plan B in case things don’t pan out.

The weight of the gem on the ring feels heavier than it usually does as that thought crosses his mind. 


	2. Chapter II: The Poisoner Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the day of Shōyō's sixteenth birthday and coronation, he and Prince Kei share a heart-to-heart. Then proceed to ruin it. Followed by a very sexy sword bout.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My original plan was to have all four parts up by yesterday, but this has grown to be a lot more than I originally planned. Not to mention I found a lot of what I had written were redundant scenes so I had to scrap a lot of them. I also added an extra scene to the beginning of chapter one. It'll help add some context and motivation to Kei's character.
> 
> @Nio_23, I really hope you don't mind that your gift ended up taking so much time! I let this get away from me and I'll continue updating this even after the reveal date.

“Have I mentioned how much I hate parties?” Prince Kei mutters into his glass before taking a sip of his beverage. His nose wrinkles at the strangely sour and bitter taste. It’s nothing like the cloyingly sweet honey wines of the Crescent Isles.

“We could always retreat early,” Tadashi suggests. 

“ _ You  _ could,” Kei retorts bluntly. “It wouldn’t look good for the princess’s fiancé to ditch her older brother’s birthday festivities. It’s bad enough to be engaged to a literal child, I don’t need to fuel rumors that I’m already cheating on that child.” 

Tadashi lets out an ugly snorting sound.

“Shut up Tadashi,” Kei grits out.

“Sorry Tsu- I mean, Your Majesty!”

The other boy is still giggling to the point that he’s drawing attention to their previously unoccupied space at the end of the celebration hall.

They’ve made their show of sociability earlier, meeting and chatting with the various nobles of the Sunward Lands. Despite it being the prince’s birthday - and thereby his ascension to the throne - the real talk of the night are the mysterious visitors. Particularly Kei himself, seeing as he’s the princess’s fiancé. 

At least he’s used to these kinds of courtly spectacles. Just like back at home, Kei is able to pass off his cold and acerbic nature as mysteriously aloof and witty.

“Well it’s not looking much better with you actively avoiding your fiancée,” Tadashi points out.

“I’m not avoiding  _ her, _ ” the prince responds, “so much as her damned brother.”

It had taken Prince Kei by surprise how close the royal siblings are. Though he and Akiteru had once been close, they were never as physically affectionate as King Shōyō and Princess Natsu. The young king always returns the princess’s hugs, and would sometimes be seen carrying the younger sibling on his back. If you could find one sibling, the other was never too far behind.

It’s utterly baffling.

“It looks like the first guests are beginning to leave, so we might be free to slip away in an hour or so,” Kei comments.

“Oh, hmmm,” Tadashi responds distractedly.

Prince Kei raises an eyebrow at Tadashi’s noncommittal answer. He follows his friend’s line of sight to see what has caught his attention. He finds his answer in a small blonde servant girl looking overwhelmingly out of place in the large dining hall. 

Naturally, Kei calls her over.

“Tsu- Your Majesty, what are you doing?” the freckled boy hisses as the girl quickly approaches.

“Getting you someone to help you with your little spill.”

“What?!”

Kei tips Tadashi’s glass such that the entire drink dribbles down the front of his suit.

“Yes, what is it mi- EEEK! Is that blood?!” the girl shrieks at the sight of Tadashi with his stained front. 

The hush in the dining hall is almost instantaneous.

“No, my companion has just had too much wine to drink,” Kei insists. Just as quickly as it came, the silence turns into whispering.

Typical, as far as royal banquets go.

“Would you mind tending to him? I have some business to attend to.”

“No wai- Tsukki, what business do you have to attend to?!”

Tadashi’s cries go unanswered as Prince Kei makes his escape. It certainly wasn’t his initial intention to distract the partygoers with Tadashi as a diversion, but seeing his friend blatantly eying the servant girl made it an easy out.

He beats a hasty retreat out of the dining hall and through one of the Crimson Castle’s many labyrinthine hallways. It doesn’t take long for him to find a door that leads out to the garden.

The first thing Prince Kei does is take a left turn off the main path. He continues along this branched pathway even as it fades into grass. Only when he arrives in the tiny clearing with trees with blooming white flowers does he relax.

For Kei, this area is a haven. It’s probably the only place in the garden not overrun with red flowers. He had discovered it during a stroll with Tadashi, and took to memorizing the path to it by heart. 

Finally, free from the stuffiness and inane gossip, Kei takes a deep breath. Compared to the sweltering heat of many people gathered together, the summer night air is absolutely refreshing. He inhales the scent of gardenias, letting the sweet perfume fill his lungs. For the first time in weeks, he can feel his shoulders relax and tension leave his neck.

“What’re you doing out here?”

Kei tenses up again at the familiar voice. He turns slowly to see the king himself seated on a stone bench. A red flush engulfs his entire face, trailing down to his neck. A goblet sits on the bench next to him, with a few red stains maring the white bench.

“I should be asking you the same,” Kei sneers, “Isn’t your coronation feast going on in there?” 

“Yeah, but it’s just too stuck-up!” the boy proclaims as he throws his hands up in the air. “I hate it! I’m not used to this pomp and circumstance or whatever they call it!”

“‘Used to?’” Kei inquires. He was ready to find a reason to excuse himself from the other boy’s company, but catching him in an inebriated state - and so willing to talk…

Kei takes a seat at the opposite end of the bench, telling himself it’s just part of the plan.

“Yeah,” Shōyō admits.

“I mean, just a couple of years ago it was just me and Natsu and Mom living in a little village. I had dreams of leaving one day to join the Royal Guard. It’d be so cool, fighting alongside Sir Bokuto and all the other knights!”

The boy pauses to take a sip of wine from his goblet. Kei would have advised him against it, if it weren’t for the fact he’s only listening to glean important information.

“Then one day the Royal Guard actually comes for us and BANG! Knock our door down! Not as cool as I’d have thought! Then they tell us that my dad is the Red King and now that he’s dead that I’m next in line, but not until my sixteenth birthday. And now we’re here and it’s all just so… BLEAUGH!”

Prince Kei stifles a laugh behind a gloved hand. He had known that King Shōyō and Princess Natsu were bastards born of a former servant. The queen-regent, despite her regal bearing, is clearly peasant-born. But Kei never did imagine that the king and his sister came from such humble beginnings. It explains a lot about their mannerisms.

“So, is it true?” Shōyō asks out of nowhere.

“Is what true?” Kei retorts, laughter subsiding.

“Well, I heard from some… not very reputable sources that you have a nickname.”

“If you’re referring to Yamaguchi calling me ‘Tsukki,’ then-”

“Not that one,” Shōyō interrupts.

“Do they really call you the Poisoner Prince?”

Kei frowns. He had thought that the moniker would stay on the Crescent Islands where it belongs. So he’s more than dismayed to find that it’s followed him to the Sunward Lands.

“So what if it is? Worried that I’ll poison you in your sleep?” Kei asks, putting on his most disdainful expression. He hopes it draws Shōyō’s attention away from his hands, where he fiddles with the ring almost nervously.

“How do you do it?” Shōyō instead inquires, ignoring Kei’s threat. Kei is almost thrown off, never having met someone so single-minded.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” he snarks.

“Of course I do! That’s why I asked!” 

Shōyō leans in close enough to be intruding in Kei’s personal space. Kei decides the best course of action is to scoot away as fast as he can. No one in this country seems to have a concept of personal boundaries.

“C’mon,” Shōyō whines, “You have to tell me! As your future brother-in-law, I command it!”

“Being future brother-in-law has more leverage than being king? What a strange country you run.”

“Ugh, fine! Be that way! As King of the Sunward Lands, I command you to tell me how you poison people!”

“Or what? You’ll execute me?”

The young king’s cheeks puff up petulantly. It’s a humorous reminder of how childish the other boy is despite his age and rank. Kei lets out another laugh.

“Alright, fine. Observe.”

King Shōyō scoots in too close once more. Prince Kei tells himself the heat he feels is from the warm summer night and the heat from the smaller boy’s body. He’s practically a walking furnace.

Pushing those thoughts from his mind, Kei unclasps the hidden latch on the ring, allowing the moonstone to reveal its secret chamber. Lying within is a white powder.

“Wow,” King Shōyō breathes out. “Is that the poison?”

“No, it’s sugar I like to keep on hand in case of emergency,” Kei deadpans.

“Your sweet tooth is seriously concerning,” the boy replies blithely.

“I was joking. Of course it’s the poison.” Prince Kei states. Any previous goodwill he felt for the young king evaporates instantly.

“That’s so cool!” the boy enthuses, his face lighting up almost instantly. “You’re like an assassin then! An assassin prince!”

While Kei flushes at Shōyō’s praise, a heavy sensation settles in the pit of his stomach at the king’s words. 

“Have you killed anyone?” Shōyō asks. His tone sounds so innocent, he might as well have been asking for a second slice of cake.

It’s unsettling, to say the least.

“ _ This _ is just a safety measure,” Kei replies with rehearsed care. “The Sunward Lands has a certain reputation, and my father wanted to make sure I had a means of protecting myself.”

King Shōyō’s mouth forms a little ‘o,’ as if he couldn’t vocalize the sound itself.

“I wonder what it tastes like,” he mutters.

“Want to find out?” Kei smirks.

King Shōyō gasps before flailing backwards ungracefully. This time, Kei doesn’t bother suppressing his amusement.

“Oh come off it! It’s barely sweet. You can hardly detect it, honestly. That’s what makes it so effective as a poison,” Kei explains clinically.

He doesn’t like the way Shōyō pauses nor the strange look on his face.

“How do you know that?”

“Because I’ve tried a little before,” Kei replies matter-of-factly. “Shouldn’t the poisoner know how his own poisons work?”

“NO!” Shōyō screeches with such passion that Kei almost flinches.

“I mean, yes, but to know the taste?! Why?!”

“To ensure that it’s maskable of course,” he snorts. “Besides, small amounts of it aren’t dangerous. Father and I made sure of that.”

Kei regrets the words the minute they escape his mouth.

King Shōyō stands up, perhaps too abruptly for a drunk man given the way he stumbles initially. He then starts pacing in front of the bench, hands tangling up in red locks and the crown on his hand.

“Wh- how? Why would anyone let you do anything like that? Your own father no less!”

Kei struggles to remain quiet. He knows he shouldn’t have spilled as much as he did - perhaps it was the King’s strange straightforwardness catching him off-guard. But as it stands, he’s potentially endangered his entire plan. 

“There’s something wrong with the Crescent Isles!” the King of the Sunward Lands declares.

Kei clenches his jaw at the king’s outburst.

“Oh? And there’s nothing wrong with your country? You Sunward people always resolve things with so much bloodshed,” Kei replies coolly.

The way Shōyō’s face falls tells Kei that he’s hit a nerve. 

_ Good. _

“And poison doesn’t involve bloodshed?!” Shōyō snaps defensively. “No matter how you cut it, murder is murder, right?”

“That may be so,” Kei begins, “but there’s a stark difference between dying from a sword through the gut and dying in your sleep quietly from poison coursing through your veins.”

“Ohhh, I get it now,” Shōyō says angrily. “Poison is the dignified, noble way of killing people. While we’re just a bunch of barbarians for the way we go about murdering. Is that it?”

“King Shōyō, I suspect you might have had too much to drink…”

“I’m plenty fine!” Shōyō declares, slapping away Kei’s hand as he reaches out to steady the other man. 

“Murder isn’t the barbaric act, it’s the way you murder that can be considered barbaric. My mistake! I guess that yeah, the Sunward Lands is filled with many cruel barbarians, and deserves to be spit on by the rest of the world. I see now!”

Kei has a cutting remark ready on the tip of his tongue when the newly-crowned king suddenly goes quiet.

“Yes, I see. It must have been hard for you to have grown up and had to live in such fear all the time.”

A knot twists in Prince Kei’s chest. His carefully worded barb dies in his mouth. But before he can craft a new response to Shōyō’s revelation, a sudden retching escapes the king’s throat. Moments later finds Shōyō on his hands and knees, emptying his stomach. 

Prince Kei stares piteously at the sight as the orange haired man spits out the last of the sick from his mouth.

“Come now,” he sighs, offering his arm to the king. “Let’s get you to your chambers.”

“Go away,” he says, batting away Kei’s arm. “Just get Tobio or one of the servants out here.”

Prince Kei stares at the piteous man emptying the contents of his stomach out on the ground. He finally huffs before turning to leave. He takes his time returning to the Crimson Castle, and takes even longer still in finding someone to take care of the sick King.

It comes with a small pleasure - and great relief - when the next morning, at the breakfast table, King Shōyō nurses a headache and no memory of the previous morning.

“Make a note,” the queen regent says to a servant, “ensure that the pantries are stocked with only the bare minimum wine for the next feast. And make sure the King doesn’t get a single drop.”

The groan Shōyō lets out is met by snickers from the other occupants at the table.

Yet when Kei returns to his quarters after breakfast and finds a small bag of brightly colored candy with a handwritten note, he stands still for several long moments. He sweeps the room carefully, checking every corner for hidden intruders. After ascertaining no threats, he finally reads the letter.

_ Hitoka said you were the one to get me help last night, so thank you. You’re still an ass and I’m still mad at you, even if I don’t remember why. _

_ Shōyō _

Kei crumples the note in his fist before letting it drop to the floor. He pops a single red-colored cube into his mouth. 

Despite the sweetness of the candy, it leaves a bitter aftertaste on his tongue.

* * *

Half a season later finds Prince Kei regretting his machinations with Tadashi and the servant girl. What he thought would be a one-off thing, Prince Kei is finding to be a cause of recurring absence from his companion.

“Oh, Lord Yamaguchi?” a servant girl with short-cropped hair says in response to his inquiry to Tadashi’s whereabouts.

“I think I saw him with Hitoka in the gardens. If you see them, could you tell Hitoka one of the guest rooms needs airing out? And tell your friend to stop stealing Hitoka from her duties all the time!” the girl fumes, though without any real venom.

Prince Kei leaves in the opposite direction without another word. He is definitely not going out to the gardens to interrupt Tadashi’s little date. But now this leaves him with little to do. 

A clashing of swords interrupts his thoughts.

“Nice block, Your Majesty! But your form’s gotten sloppy. Try this!”

Prince Kei peers out of the window from whence the commotion comes from. In the courtyard below, he sees King Shōyō engaged in combat with a tall, stocky knight with spiky black and white hair. 

Kei vaguely remembers him as the head of the royal guard - Sir Bokuto, was it? In any case, the man appears to have foregone his tunic to cope with the autumn heat, revealing well-toned back muscles that ripple with every movement. 

“Oi, Prince of Moonland!”

Kei glares down at Tobio, who meets him with a glare of his own. He’s off to the side, sitting next to a young man with messy dark hair and an unamused expression. Not a surprise, given his current company.

“That’s not the name of my kingdom,” Kei harrumphs.

“How about you get down here and remind me of the name then?”

“Lord Kageyama! There’s no need to pick a fight,” the older knight shouts.

“Tobio’s just upset that he’s not up sparring first!” the king teases. 

The growl that escapes Tobio’s lips sounds more beastly than human. When he gets up to tackle the red-haired man, the boy beside him grabs at the back of his tunic, forcing him back into a sitting position.

“Wait until Sir Bokuto says it’s your turn,” he scolds.

“And you!” Sir Bokuto declares with his sword pointed in Kei’s direction. “Come down and join us for sparring!”

“I’d rather no-”

“Sir Bokuto! I think he doesn’t know how to wield a sword!” Shōyō says in a rather loud stage whisper.

“I know how to swordfight!” Kei snaps.

“Then come down here and join us! Hurry now, don’t make us wait!”

Prince Kei groans. He walks down the hallway with heavy steps. He almost dreads the door that leads out to the courtyard, squinting against the harsh sun.

When his eyes adjust, he finds Tobio grinning at him smugly while the boy to his right simply pats a spot on the ground next to him.

“It’ll be your turn after Lord Kageyama’s,” the boy says as he takes his seat.

“Thank you, Sir-”

“Oh, I’m not knighted yet,” the boy replies. “I’m still just a squire. Keiji Akaashi, by the way.”

“Aren’t you a bit old to be a squire?” Prince Kei asks.

“And aren’t you a bit old to be engaged to Princess Natsu?” Squire Akaashi quips.

“Touche,” concedes Kei with a grin. While he’s lukewarm on his feelings towards the squire, Kei can admit he respects the boy already.

They all sit next to each other in silence as they watch the king’s bout continue.

“Very good Shōyō!” the older man praises when the king executes a well-timed block. He immediately follows it up with a riposte, but is parried by Sir Bokuto.

“You’ve got to be faster than that, kiddo!”

Kei almost gasps at the rudeness of it. Instead, it comes out as a sharp intake of breath.

“First time seeing Sir Bokuto in action?” Keiji asks Kei. The prince eyes the other boy suspiciously - he’s pretty observant to have picked up on that.

“He’s always been informal like that. Pretty much treats anyone who looks up to him like a little sibling. The queen-regent herself has scolded him for it. But the King clearly likes it, so he’s not going to stop.”

Shrugging as he finishes the explanation, the squire leans forward to continue watching the match.

Sir Bokuto’s back isn’t the only muscular part of him. With every thrust and parry, Kei is treated to a view of powerful biceps working to complete each action. Prominent chest muscles heave up and down with every breath he takes. 

The show comes to a brief pause when King Shōyō puts his practice sword suddenly.

“Give me a moment! I’m sweating up a storm,” the red-head exclaims as he removes his thoroughly soaked tunic.

Kei’s mouth goes dry. Never did he ever imagine that such a small body could contain so much muscle.

Shōyō gives out a scream as he launches himself back into the match. Kei could only stare as Shōyō’s biceps dance under tanned skin. He breathes like the next breath could be his last, and it shows in his chest. The prince can even see how he puts his core into his movements, abdominals rippling with every thrust. Then Shōyō gives a wide and mischievous grin when he lands a particularly hard thrust to Sir Bokuto’s side.

A sudden bout of lightheadedness strikes Kei, one that he’ll later blame on the heat of the autumn day.

“Not bad,” Sir Bokuto commends, “but don’t leave your defenses down!”

The bout finally comes to an end when Sir Bokuto performs a parry to Shōyō’s wrist such that the boy lets go of his sword with a yelp of pain.

“And that,” the knight says as he points his wooden sword at the boy’s chest, “would’ve cost you a hand. If it were a real sword of course!”

Tobio and Keiji give the bout a round of applause. Kei might have too, if he weren’t too scandalized by the realization that he had spent the majority of the mock battle blatantly ogling his fiancée’s older brother. The king of a particularly bloodthirsty nation, at that.

“Lord Kageyama! We’ll take a water break and then pick up with your bout, okay?”

The boy nods in agreement, already quivering with barely contained excitement. 

“It certainly is a hot day today, isn’t it Prince Kei?” Squire Akaashi comments. 

Kei feels the heat in his cheeks rise all the way up to his ears. Perhaps his stay in the Sunward Lands has made him transparent.

“Indeed. I’m going inside before I pass of heat stroke,” the prince says as he gets up abruptly.

“Aw, wait Prince Kei!” the knight calls out after him. “We didn’t even get to have our bout!”

“Hey, I’m supposed to go next!” Tobio shouts petulantly.

Kei ignores all of this as he stomps past the shirtless duo. He tries his best to ignore the way the sweat drips down Shōyō’s prominent chest muscles and along the ridges of his abdomen.

He pushes it all from his mind the best he can as he hurries down corridors and up staircases.

He pays no attention to anything nor anyone else, not even the freckled noble sharing a clandestine kiss with a common servant girl in the shadows of a corridor, until he reaches his own chambers. Once in the safety of the plush four-poster bed, Prince Kei screams into his pillows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kei's poison is based off of the cantarella poison used by the Borgia family. If you ascribe to the theory that cantarella is derived from cantharidin, then there's an extra layer of horror for you there.


End file.
